Insights on the Tunisian Prickly Pear Molasses as a Potential Antifibrotic and Antioxidant Candidate against Lung Fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive interstitial disease leading to pulmonary damage and respiratory failure. We aimed to investigate the effect of prickly pear molasses (PPM) on an experimental model of pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin (BLM) in Wistar rat. Animals were divided into 5 groups: the control group (G1), the BLM group (G2) and three groups (G3, G4, G5) receiving a single intra-tracheal injection of BLM (4 mg/kg) and PPM (at 2, 4.5 and10 %) that was introduced into the diet one week before BLM injection and continued for 3 weeks. Our phytochemical results revealed significant polyphenol and flavonoid content. LCMS analysis revealed the presence of Sinapinic acid, t-ferulic acid, t-cinnamic acid, Caffeic acid, gallic acid and vallinic acid among others. Our histological study revealed significant decrease in collagen deposition in the groups of rats treated with 4.5 % and 10 % molasses compared to BLM group. Oxidative stress in pulmonary tissues was investigated using catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) assays. Treatment with PPM normalized the disturbance in the level of these oxidative markers in G3,G4, G5 compared to G2. In conclusion, PPM exhibit antifibrotic and antioxidant activities in BLM model of lung fibrosis.